EKD European Pastor’s Conference 4.-8. July 2019, Dublin, St. Finian’s and Lutherhaus

We are therefore Christ’s Ambassadors – this is the motto and theme of this year’s European (North, West, East) Pastor’s Conference of the EKD (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland) with 69 attendees (including family members) from 16 different European countries. Great time catching up with colleagues, sharing the joy and the burden of being pastor, learning and reflecting – and deepening friendship.

Some impressions from the program:

Friday, 5th July – Learning from the monks from Irelands “golden age”, 6th to 9th century: Walk and talk in Glendalough with Fr. Michael and Fr. Patrick from the Tearmann Retraite Centre Glendalough.

Saturday, 6th July – Ambassadors of Christ in our time: Learning from the Ireland of today. Lectures from Dr. Jessie Rogers, Maynooth, Bishop John McDowell, Clogher and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Dublin. We learn how strong fear guides the attitude of todays churches in Europe, how important it is in the border region to listen to the people and to draw their attention to the future instead of the past, and how important it is to tell the church the truth about who they are at the moment in today’s society.

Sunday, 7th July – reassurance and encouragement. The Sunday service enfolds the word “paradoxical curiosity” as a way to perform reconciliation and as a way to face churches that are getting smaller. Afternoon: relaxing from the work in Howth (picture below), during a sightseeing walk in Dublin or by our own. At the evening the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Deike Potzel talks about her understanding of an Ambassador.

 

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Female Composers Concert in St. Finian’s

Fundraising Concert for the St. Finian’s Roof Refurbishment on Saturday, 29 June 2019: Fully packed Church, impressive variety of music, great audience, brilliant musicians, very good outcome for the roof and a beautiful gathering after the concert in the Lutherhaus and the garden. A great Thank You to all, musicians and audience and helpers and to Werner Blau, Musical Director of the Lutheran Church in Ireland. Happy pastor!

Pfingsten | Pentecost | Columba’s Day

9th June 2019: Pentecost and St. Columba’s Day: Reflections about a famous song from the Iona Community in the service in St. Finian’s, Dublin this morning: She sits like a bird… Our service was multi-lingual: in Hungarian, Finnish, Danish, Irish, German, English, Spanish and French. Thanks a million to all participants!

In 563 Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona and found a monastery there with great influence to Central Europe. Columba died on 9th June 597.

Let’s wait in patience and joy and trust that she, the Holy Spirit, might embrace us, push us forward, renews the churches and our lives as well.

Special greetings to all Iona Community Friends!

Ascension Day | Christi Himmelfahrt

Dalkey Hill – Close to the Clouds – We like the little memorabilia from beloved ones – What remains from Jesus? – His words – The Holy Spirit – Do not have fear!

Happy Easter! Frohe Ostern!

Lasst euch berühren vom Licht. Ostern ist Hoffnung. Gerade heute, gerade in einer Welt, in der so viel Hass wohnt. Diesmal ist er in Sri Lanka zum Ausdruck gekommen .

Let there be light and hope in your heart. Especially today with this wave of hate in Sri Lanka. Who will be the people of hope and trust, when not us?

Confirmation Camp Day Five: Good Friday

Heute ging es um den Tod, und das war nicht ganz leicht: Gottesdienst um 11 Uhr in Deutscher Sprache. Eli, Eli, lama asabtani – Mein Gott, mein Gott, warum hast du mich verlassen. Dieser Satz Jesu stand im Mittelpunkt der Predigt. Im Hebräischen steht für “warum” das Wort “lama” an dieser Stelle. Das bedeutet aber nicht “warum” im Sinne von “was ist die Ursache”, sondern “wozu”. Wörtlich übersetzt müsste es heißen: Mein Gott, mein Gott, wozu hast du mich verlassen! Der Blick ändert sich: Nicht die Ursache (Die Römer, die Pharisäer) sind das, wonach Jesus fragt, sondern der Sinn und der Zweck seines Todes.

Am Nachmittag beschäftigten sich die Konfirmanden insgesamt mit der Frage nach Leben, Tod und was danach kommt.

Briefe, an Jesus geschrieben und dann verbrannt, damit nur er ihren Inhalt kennt, bildeten den Abschluss des Tages.

Confirmation Camp Day 4 = Holy Thursday / Gründonnerstag

First topic of the day was the Prayer and to pray. The pictures show the church with five praying stations. It was a pleasure to see how concentrated the youth were.

Evening: Holy Thursday service in the Lutherhaus at tables, followed by a light supper.